CH150 question

[mr pibbs]

Do you need a radiator fan on the ch150? Could you survive without?

[elitedio]

If you keep rolling it would be fine. My wife had a ch150 and if you stopped very long the fan would kick in. Perhaps you could use a computer power supply fan and get enough air movement. I have a Yamaha RZ and it doesn't have a fan or even a thermostat and runs fine. I never drove it in cities however.

[mr pibbs]

... use a computer power supply fan

This is exactly what i was thinking! I could even use two if needed. Do you think the wiring would work? or the voltage?

Most of my driving will be in the city with stopages ranging as high as a few minuets.

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

I hate to * in the party punchbowl here, but must disagree with the Rube Goldbergization of the fan. Particularly true in light of the intended use. Unless you can exercise your thumb on the Stop switch every time you sit idling, an LC engine under a set of panels sure can warm up its coolant pretty quick. Blown head gaskets or worse can result. Computer fans may or may not supply the needed ventilation.

What's keeping you from putting everything back to thermostatically-controlled homeostasis as Honda-san prescribed?

[elitedio]

Yeah wheel man is right. If you are in a city you want to have mucho cooling. Think of how much air movement there is with an air cooled 50cc. You want to have maybe twice that much air passing the radiator.

I had a Pontiac Fiero with a 350 v8 motor conversion and an electric water pump. It always ran hot until I removed the thermostat. Then everything was fine.

[mr pibbs]

What's keeping you from putting everything back to thermostatically-controlled homeostasis as Honda-san prescribed?

Well, the fan makes it a lot harder to shove into the front of my sa50. Yes, thats right.

[elitedio]

Conversion, neat idea! Then by all means do what you need to do to keep it cool. Are you going to stick the radiator behind the front wheel? If I recall the carburetor faces to the front.

Pushing a bike that weighs 100 pounds less you may not need quite as much cooling. Cover the back of the radiator with small fans and run them with your ignition switch. Try taking out thermostat. Add a secondary radiator under frame or along one side of engine.

[mr pibbs]

Conversion, neat idea! Then by all means do what you need to do to keep it cool. Are you going to stick the radiator behind the front wheel? If I recall the carburetor faces to the front.

Pushing a bike that weighs 100 pounds less you may not need quite as much cooling. Cover the back of the radiator with small fans and run them with your ignition switch. Try taking out thermostat. Add a secondary radiator under frame or along one side of engine.

Yes, the carb faces the front. I am still trying to figure out mounting possibilities. Using the stock mount position the engine will hang below the frame and i'm going to have to angle it using the shocks. I don't think the under-seat storage will survive a swap.

There are some neat problems and that require creative thinking and blue sky solutioneering.

Many naysayers will argue that the engine is too fast and unsafe. Realistically this engine is slower than many of the hopped up 2-stokes out there. In it's current state it tops out at 0 so that is the first order of business.

EDio, what are your thoughts on throwing all the high tech air crap out the window and just running the carb with a pod. Upjetting is to be understood, but is there anything else to consider? All insights are welcome.

[elitedio]

I set up my wifes ch150 without the snorkel. I thought it was faster. Had it to about 67mph once. I took the cover off in front of the carb. I ended up using a plastic cup with the end cut out of it and had some open weave black foam for an air filter. I tried it with just a foam filter and had a lot of fuel blow back at certain rpm. You could see the fuel cloud between your feet. It was a vacuum carb, something I don't get along with too well. I think the long snorkel is pretty important to keep the fuel in the engine.

For a while I was considering a similar modification ch150 engine in her EliteE but figured it would be too long. We sold it for more than it was worth and put the money into the 86 cc engine. If I were to do it. I think I would make a new rear sub frame around where the carb is.

It is a slick looking unit with water cooling. I thought the styling was hideous with a pop up headlight that was only aero with the engine off.